Savoy Energy LP reported two new-field discoveries in the Trenton-Black River play and a batch of new development and confirmation wells across three southern Michigan Basin fields. The Traverse City, Michigan-based operator has a land base of more than 250,000 acres in the southern part of the Wolverine State.

The Trenton-Black River is an Ordovician oil and natural gas reservoir found in the Appalachian and Michigan basins. In the Appalachian region, it produces in New York and West Virginia. In southeast Michigan, the formation produces most famously in Albion-Scipio Field. Most oil has come from a one-mile-wide swath in Calhoun, Jackson and Hillsdale counties. The single largest field in Michigan, Albion-Scipio has produced 125 million barrels of oil and 250 billion cubic feet of gas since its discovery in 1957.

Now, explorers like Savoy are expanding Trenton-Black River production into new areas, using 3-D seismic to hunt for oil-filled dolomite chimneys. Additionally, other carbonate zones are being explored in the same manner.

New Lenawee County Field

In Adrian Field in previously non-producing Lenawee County, Savoy's #1-16 Ruesink flowed 250 barrels of 39-gravity oil and 95,000 cubic feet of gas from a perforated interval at 3,722-34 feet after acid treatment. According to Savoy, the indicated gross pay interval extends from near the top of Trenton at 3,238 feet to the base of the perforated interval at 3,734 feet in Black River and the bottomhole pressure was 1,538 psi. Six additional wells drilled in the field, #4-8 Ruesink, #2-16 Ruesink, #5-8A Ruesink, #1-17 Buehrer, #2-8 Goetz and #3-8A Goetz, are producing 1,000 barrels per day. The find is 15 miles southeast of previous Trenton-Black River production.

Hillsdale County Confirmation

Savoy reported another discovery and a confirmation well on a trend that extends southeast from Albion-Scipio Field in Pittsford Township, some 25 miles west of its Adrian Field find. The company’s field opener, #1-6 Freedom Farms, flowed 250 barrels of 30-degree gravity oil and 150,000 cubic feet of gas per day. The well was perforated at 4,012-18 feet and was acid-treated and the bottomhole pressure was 1,463 psi at 4,015 feet. A north offset to the producer, #2-6 Freedom Farms produced 84 barrels of oil and 62,000 cubic feet of gas daily: the bottomhole pressure was 1,414 psi at 3,866 feet.

Ogemaw County Development

About 200 miles north in Ogemaw County, Savoy struck again at the #2-36 Brown, an offset to #1-36 Nelson. The new well flowed 155 barrels of 37-degree gravity oil and 105,000 cubic feet of gas per day from a gross perforated interval at 2,894 to 4,119 feet. The #1-36 Nelson is part of Savoy's West Branch Field that was completed in 2009. The #1-36 Nelson tested at 240 barrels of oil and 175,000 cubic feet from 4,000-32 feet. The producing zone is Devonian Richfield carbonate, a younger formation than the Trenton-Black River but one also susceptible to hosting productive dolomite chimneys.

During the coming three to four months, Savoy plans to drill between eight and 10 new wells in southern Michigan.

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